


Curiosity Killed the Cat

by everydaymagic



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-24 06:11:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8360464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everydaymagic/pseuds/everydaymagic
Summary: In the end, it is Ginny who comes between them. It was unintentional on her part, but there it was. Mike and Amelia were arguing about what was best for Ginny and then realized that they couldn’t be who she needed, and who they needed to be for her, as well as be together.  The split was amicable, and they remained friends, but they no longer worried about hurting each other’s feelings when it came to doing what they thought was right for Ginny. Even though it sometimes differed.  It was easier that way. All good. They could argue and fight, and then do what each of them thought was best for Ginny. No harm, no foul, and no consequences to their fling. Until Ginny found out. And not from them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another fic about how Ginny finds out about Mike and Amelia.

In the end, it was Ginny who came between them. It was unintentional on her part, but there it was. Mike and Amelia were arguing about what was best for Ginny and then realized that they couldn’t be who she needed, and who they needed to be for her, as well as be together.The split was amicable, and they remained friends, but they no longer worried about hurting each other’s feelings when it came to doing what they thought was right for Ginny. Even though it sometimes differed.It was easier that way. All good. They could argue and fight, and then do what each of them thought was best for Ginny. No harm, no foul, and no consequences to their fling. Until Ginny found out. And not from them.

 

Ginny was not normally a snooper. She wasn’t technically snooping now, or she wasn’t until she saw a text thread between Amelia and Mike Lawson.  Amelia had only asked Ginny to look on her phone for a text from a journalist—someone always wanted an interview, or had a question for Ginny, and Amelia usually let Ginny decide if she wanted to comment—while she had a shower.  And Ginny had never dreamed of doing anything else. Until she saw the text thread between Amelia and Mike.

Frowning in confusion, Ginny opened it. The more recent ones were normal enough. But it’s as she scrolled up—because once she started she couldn't help herself—that things got graphic.  Ginny’s face flushed as she read the texting (sexting) exchange between the two of them. She gritted her teeth when she read one that Mike sent from the team bus when Ginny was sitting right next to him!  It bugged her majorly (though she can’t pinpoint why) to know that Mike was sexting Amelia while sitting next to her.  It made her squirm to think about what else she missed.  Because she had no idea. Lawson and Amelia were polite enough to each other, unless they were fighting, and they were usually fighting over Ginny.  She wondered if they fought about her in private too, or if that’s when they made up instead.

Feeling sick, Ginny pressed the back button, and scrolled quickly until she found the text message that Amelia originally asked her to find.  Her eyes scanned it, and her brain took in none of it.  She put the phone back down on the table, tore a piece of paper off the hotel notepad a little more forcefully than she intended and scrawled a quick note to Amelia. “Went to the gym.”

Ginny had already worked out that morning, but suddenly she was feeling antsy and anxious.  She needed to sweat it all out.  She needed the calm that came with getting into a rhythm and hitting her stride on the treadmill. And she needed to punch something. Ginny had been thinking of taking up kickboxing for a while. Maybe today was the day to ask one of the trainers to set that up for her. 

Hurrying to change into workout gear, she put her headphones on and ran down the stairs to the gym rather than take the elevator.  Her heart was already beating fast despite not having stepped foot on the treadmill yet.  She had left her phone upstairs so as not to be bothered. She needed time to think.  Because while finding out about Mike and Amelia was shocking, her instinctive reaction was just as confusing.

Why did Ginny care so much?

 

It wasn’t like her to begrudge other people’s happiness. Sure, Ginny was known to get jealous, but it was more of seeing what she could not have, what she had never had. Her dad never allowed her much time for friends, much less dating. Trevor had really been the first guy she had ever allowed herself to care about. And look how that had turned out.Maybe that was why she was still so hesitant, still so focused on her game. She could chat and flirt, but when it came down to it, Ginny was not a closer. She was a runner. An ironic thought to have as her shoes beat down on the treadmill, but it was true.Ginny did not back down from a fight, but she ran from emotions. She hid from them. She shut that shit down. But Mike and Amelia had caught her off guard. 

_ “ Why do you care so much ?”  _

 

Maybe because Ginny was selfish and wanted all their attention, but separately? She didn’t want Amelia distracted from her work by a relationship? No, that wasn’t it. Ginny often was of the opinion that Amelia did need to be distracted. She was focused so fully on Ginny that Ginny sometimes felt smothered and micromanaged.

She didn’t want Mike thinking about any woman but her? ~~ Yes, that was it~~ .

It was just hard for her to accept what she had read. That two people who could be so polite to each other in person could really be so intimate. It shook her faith in her ability to read people, and her trust in those closest to her. They hadn’t told her. Why? She wasn’t some kid who needed to be protected. She wasn’t some hardcore Christian who frowned on sex without marriage.  What did it say about them that they hadn’t told her? What did it say about her?

What did her reaction say about it?

 

Ginny just couldn’t fully wrap her head around it.Mike and Amelia were polite around each other, nothing more. They didn’t nod at each other, understanding without a word being passed between them, like Mike and Ginny did. He didn’t tease her like he did Ginny.But what if he did? In private? What if those smiles that Ginny caught on his face were not in fact for her, but for Amelia? And what did it mean that she cared?

Breathing heavily now, Ginny kicked up the pace even more. She didn’t like the thoughts circling in her head. She didn’t like thinking of Mike and Amelia going hot and heavy in an elevator, or her fingers running through Mike’s beard. She didn’t want to be able to see them in bed together, but she wasn’t quite able to drive the image from her mind.

Ginny hit the up arrow again, increasing her speed even more. She knew she would regret this later, but they had two days before their next game, plenty of time for Ginny to bounce back. As her legs pumped away beneath her, Ginny was finally able to only focus on her running, her breathing. She stared straight ahead, ignoring everything else until her lungs protested and her stride started to wobble.  Turning the machine down, Ginny slowed to a walk, gasping, sweat rolling down her entire body. She turned off her music and just let the sound of her pounding heart fill her ears.  After a few minutes of that, once her heart had slowed a little, Ginny moved to get off the treadmill. She stumbled, falling to one knee hard.

“Jesus Baker, I thought I was the one with the bad knees.”

The familiar voice broke through the sound of her heartbeat in her head.   Hands on her upper arm pulled her to her feet.

Ginny shook her head pushing him away, not meeting his gaze. “Don’t. I’m-I’m all sweaty.” 

“Yeah, because I’ve never seen that before,” Mike rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “What were you running from?” he joked.

Ginny looked up at him and he was caught off guard by the flash of pain in her eyes that quickly disappeared behind the neutral expression she hadn’t used on him in a long time. “Nothing,” she replied. Before he could say anything else, she had darted around him, wobbly legs and all, and out of the gym. 

He looked after her for a long moment, a frown on his face. He was unable to get the look in her eyes out of his head.


	2. Chapter 2

“Ginny, where have you been?” Amelia cried as Ginny re-entered her room. 

Ginny merely glanced at her as she headed to the bathroom. She thought her appearance should have given her away. Strands of hair frizzed, stuck to the back of her neck and her forehead.Her skin glistened with sweat, and her clothes clearly showed the proof of her efforts. “Gym!” was all she called out before she closed the door to the bathroom.Not that Amelia was entitled to any explanation. Ginny was back in plenty of time to get ready for her appearance on the nightly news. She hardly even knew what she was going to be talking about. But really, what did it matter? She was just there for publicity for the team, to sell tickets.She was a publicity stunt for them, the first woman MLB player.Hardly anyone actually wanted to hear what she had to say anyway, and when they did, it was about stuff she didn’t want to talk about.

Ginny turned the water on high. She was starting to feel a little chilled from the sweat drying on her skin and clothes, and she was feeling shaky. Of course it was from how hard she had worked that afternoon. Not anything else. Glancing at herself in the mirror, Ginny avoided her own gaze.Instead she took in the dark skin, so different from Am—from other women’s.Her arms and shoulders were big too, larger than the average woman’s and even some of the average men’s. But they had to be in order to even hope to compete with the men in her sport.Her thighs were big too. Muscled and toned, yes, but big.She wasn’t delicate, that was for sure. 

With a huff of impatience as the mirror began to steam, Ginny shook her head at her idiocy and foolishness.What was the point in comparing her body to anyone else’s? She was stuck with it—no she had worked hard for it. And she was proud of her body, proud of her accomplishments.It was stupid to feel self pitying when she was in a position no woman was in, no woman had ever been in. Of course, that made it lonelier too…. 

Rolling her eyes at herself, Ginny stepped under the hot stream of water.“Stop it Ginny,” she told herself sternly, her father’s voice echoing in her head. “ _What’s the point in being self pitying, girl? Self pity never helped nobody. You know what helped them? Hard work! Blood, sweat, and tears. And time.So get moving girl, because you sure as hell ain’t gonna accomplish anything crying in the shower._ ”


	3. Chapter 3

“Ginny are you done yet?” Amelia asked impatiently, knocking hard on the door of Ginny’s bathroom. 

Ginny closed her eyes, trying to keep her patience. She bit her tongue to keep from snapping at Amelia. She was beginning to consider taking her key back, though. She was starting to dislike the way Amelia was involved in literally every aspect of her life. Even the parts she thought were just hers, like the baseball and…and the team.

“I’ll be right out,” she responded.Glaring at herself in the mirror, Ginny mentally told herself off. She was just in a bad mood, that was all. She had to shake it off. Get over it.There was nothing for her to be upset about. 

Opening the door, Ginny gave Amelia a small smile. “All yours,” she said with a slight tease, knowing perfectly well that had not been what Amelia was impatient about.

Amelia rolled her eyes. “It’s like a sauna in there!” she declared, moving out of the way so Ginny could go get dressed.

There was no point in putting anything fancy on—she hadn’t even bothered with makeup—because the team at the news studio later tonight would do all that. Instead, Ginny slid on a pair of yoga pants and a mint green t-shirt.  Her wet hair was already pulled into a ponytail, and she only hoped it wouldn’t drip on her shirt.  Grabbing her black hoodie, Ginny moved back into the other room. “See? Ready to go,” she said brightly.  In the back of her mind, she knew she was trying to overcompensate for her mood, but if she was surly, she would get a lecture from Amelia in the car. Then things might turn ugly. She was in no mood for a lecture.

Amelia raised her eyebrows and checked her watch.  “Okay, let’s get going then,” she said.  “Eliot will meet us in the car.”

“Great,” Ginny chirped as she grabbed her bag. She winced as she walked into the hallway, knowing that she was pushing it. She didn’t want Amelia asking her what was up because she was acting _too_ happy after all. 

 

The elevator doors opened and Ginny swore internally to see Mike Lawson moving to get out. Clearly coming to see her. And he had that fucking serious look on his face again.

“Can’t stop. Another TV appearance,” she said before he could say anything. She stepped around him with a roll of her eyes and a shrug, conveying a ‘what can you do?’ message

“Dressed like that?” Mike asked, eyes looking Ginny up and down in a way that made her want to squirm. “I can’t believe Amelia let you out of your room like that. I can’t believe you let her out of her room like this,” he repeated as Amelia walked up.

“Oh come on, I dress like this all the time,” Ginny snapped back a little more forcefully than normal. She hated the raised eyebrows and the look that Amelia and Mike exchanged. Yeah, clearly they were familiar with each other to be exchanging knowing looks.

“I’m changing there,” she explained, her voice softer, trying to sound more normal. 

“And we’re going to be late,” Amelia said pointedly, stepping around Mike to enter the elevator.

“Oh, yeah, right, well I’ll catch you later then,” he said, directing the comment to Ginny.

“Yeah, later,” she nodded, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her hoodie. She looked away from his knowing gaze as the doors closed, wishing they would close faster. She leaned against the wall of the elevator, hands in her pockets, head down, avoiding Amelia’s gaze.  Sneaking a glance at Amelia, Ginny wasn’t sure she should have bothered.  The other woman was too busy scrolling through her phone and checking her watch to notice Ginny’s posture. She was too concerned with getting Ginny to her TV appearance on time to check on Ginny herself.

In reality, in between Ginny’s sly glances at Amelia, Amelia was eyeing her.  She was texting Eliot, asking if there had been anything online that day that might have upset Ginny and texting Lawson asking what the fuck that was about.  She knew Ginny better than Ginny knew, better than Ginny was willing to admit.  She didn’t know what was wrong, but she had caught Ginny’s mood swing. She preferred to try to figure out what was wrong than ferret it out of her, though. That was never fun.  So instead, Amelia texted Eliot and Lawson and searched online herself. She had started originally with Google Alerts tuned in to notify her about posts for Ginny Baker, but that had backfired when her phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.  So now she just surfed the net, trying to ride the Ginny Baker wave and stay ahead of the crowds.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments so far guys! I know this one is kind of short, but omg I promise we're getting to the blow out soon and it's going to be goooood. (Well, it's gonna be bad. Which makes it so good.)

“So did you find that text on my phone?” Amelia asked once they were in the car. 

Ginny jumped and looked at Amelia before realizing which text she was talking about. “Yeah,” she shrugged, trying to act as if Amelia had surprised her by talking, and not with the question. “I don’t care. Just tell them no comment.” She turned back to the window. 

Amelia nodded. It was the easiest answer, making Amelia wonder if Ginny had even read the text.  As she scrolled in her phone to find it and reply to the journalist, she passed her conversation with Mike.  Her head snapped to look at Ginny, but Ginny was watching the city pass her by.  Ginny wouldn’t have snooped through Amelia’s phone. She was not the type. But Ginny was curious….Before Amelia could think of how to broach the subject, they were at the news studio and Ginny was being whisked inside for hair and makeup.  Amelia had finally got Ginny to buy a new dress since she had already appeared on TV several times wearing her pink one.  This latest one was a dark navy blue. It was in keeping with Ginny’s conservative style, but still bared the pitcher’s strong arms and long toned legs.  Amelia knew that it would be a hit. She just hoped that people would get a chance to see it. She had tried to impress upon the producers the importance of filming Ginny’s entry rather than coming back to the show with her already at the desk.  But they would do whatever they wanted.

The appearance went well enough. They asked Ginny how she felt to be dressed up rather than in her uniform, as if this was the look Ginny should prefer. While Amelia might privately agree, she would never say so to Ginny. She knew how much Ginny loved her Padres gear and her comfortable clothes. She was proud that Ginny managed not to tell them off and only smiled saying that at least she didn’t have to worry about matching her shoes to her outfit when she was in uniform.  She reminded everyone of their next game and to buy their tickets. It was almost over. And then the female anchor asked, “So Ginny, we know all about how well you’re doing in your professional life, how about your personal one?”

Ginny took a beat. Amelia, in the back, cursed silently in her head. Why could these people not just leave Ginny alone?

But Ginny smiled again, though anyone who knew her well would tell that the smile was not quite genuine. “My personal life is just fine,” she replied. “Since what you really wanted to know is if I’m seeing anyone, the answer is no. I don’t know when I’d find the time,” she joked, managing to deflect and turn to humour as she so often did. The anchors were smart enough to move on. 

By the time the appearance was over, Ginny just wanted to get out of there. She had the beginnings of a headache, and knew she would be paying for her long time in the gym in the morning. But she was too amped up to go to sleep. “Some of the guys were going out tonight. Wanna come?” Ginny asked Amelia, her wording making it clear that she herself was going, whether Amelia joined her or not. Personally, she was hoping that Amelia would not.

Amelia shrugged. Normally, she wouldn’t, but she wanted to keep an eye on Ginny tonight. “Sure.”

Ginny nodded without another word and went back to the car.  She told their driver the change of plans and which club to drop them off at. She hoped that it was one with good music because she was in a mood to dance. Even though the short walk to the car had had her regretting her long time on the treadmill that afternoon and the high heels. But she was going to ignore that pain too. 

Amelia meanwhile, was checking her text messages. Eliot knew better than to say anything in front of Ginny, so he and Amelia were carrying on their conversation silently. And Lawson had told Amelia that he had no idea what was going on with Ginny but that she had acted strange earlier too.Amelia looked over at Ginny. She seemed quieter and more withdrawn somehow, despite them having passed many car rides before in silence too. This time, though, it felt different. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the one you've been waiting for! Here comes the angst--well the start of it anyway.

Ginny grinned as the car pulled up to the club and she could hear the music from outside.  Body already moving, she was out the door as soon as the car stopped. Of course the bouncer recognized her and let her, Amelia and Eliot right in.  Ginny waved at the line as she entered the club, hearing excited shouts and screams from those still stuck waiting.

She headed for the bar and ordered herself a shot of tequila which she quickly threw back. She didn’t care that Amelia was watching her with a look of astonishment. Frankly it was good that she could still surprise Amelia.  Spotting Blip on the dance floor, Ginny screeched and headed for him, leaving Amelia and Eliot behind.  Eliot shrugged and went around to the other side of the bar to slide onto a barstool and have a drink.  Amelia was left standing, not quite sure what to do as she watched Ginny gather a crowd around her on the dance floor.

When they took a break, Ginny was breathing hard and regretting not bringing flats to dance in. But she was at least enjoying herself for the first time that day.  Blip had gone to get more drinks and Ginny was waiting in the booth with some of the other guys when Lawson appeared and sat beside her, squishing her a bit and making her move farther into the booth.  Immediately, Ginny’s mood dimmed. And she could tell he noticed.  Usually, she was glad to see him, but tonight…not tonight. 

“Amelia’s over there,” she nodded towards the bar, again jumping in before Lawson could say anything.

“That’s nice?” Mike took a swig of his beer and gave Ginny a look clearly asking why he should care. 

That annoyed her more than anything. The way that he could play it off, ask why he should care about the whereabouts of a woman he had been fucking. He gave no indication of it, though. He never had. Ginny had gotten no hint of the relationship between her agent and her—the team captain. It was why she felt so blindsided.

“You should go buy her a drink,” Ginny replied, sipping on her own fruity concoction that Tommy had jokingly ordered for her before.

Mike raised an eyebrow at her. “Why?” he asked, as if it was an absurd suggestion.

“Don’t you usually buy drinks for the women you sleep with?” Ginny asked bluntly, though she kept her tone innocent, going for broke. Going for the kill. “Or is that only before?”

Mike choked on his drink and Ginny used his distraction to slip out the other side of the booth as the guys made their way to the dance floor again.  She felt Mike’s eyes on her as she left, and was perversely pleased with the knowledge of how nice her ass looked in this dress with these heels.  Actually, all of her looked nice.  The TV makeup artists had given her a bit of a smoky eye thing, and had let her dark curls hang free to bounce against her shoulders. And the dress, the dress hit her body in all the right places. Even though Ginny was still mad at her, she had to hand it to Amelia: the woman knew how to pick clothes.  ~~ And men ~~ .

 

She hurried to lose herself amongst the crowd.  She could feel the beat of the music in her body, the alcohol in her head, and a strange rage in her throat.  She could see Mike scanning the crowd.  She looked over at where Amelia had been and didn’t see her. She was more of a loner anyway. Or she had left with a text to Mike about their next sleepover.

Ginny knew she was being unfair, knew from the history of the texts that whatever had happened between Mike and Amelia had ended over a month ago at least. But she was tired of being understanding. She was tired of having to be the diplomatic one, of having to watch herself because she wanted people to like her. She was tired of trying to fit in. She stood out in every room she entered, and that was not her ego talking. It was fact.She had every right to be confident despite everyone trying to tear her down at every turn. And she was tired of it. She wanted to be treated like a normal person. She knew the press and fame weren’t going to go away, but she wished that people would treat her like a friend rather than a commodity.People looked at her and saw dollar signs. Or they saw nothing at all—an upstart girl who had tripped into a league she had no right to be in, a gimmick. Just like Mike had said that first game. 

Ginny thought she had gotten past that, but clearly she hadn’t.“I-I’ll be back,” she yelled to Stubbs who was closest to her.It was all getting to her, and not in a good way. Her legs were starting to shake and her head was starting to pound. Plus, the alcohol making her tipsy didn’t help.She made it to the wall to lean against, tipping her head back against it and closing her eyes. She felt his presence before she saw him, smelled his familiar scent. She breathed it in for a moment, comforted, before she remembered she was mad at him. 

“Go away, Lawson,” she ordered without cracking an eye.

Instead of listening, he grabbed her by the hand and tugged at her. “We need to talk.” 

Ginny had to admit she was curious to hear what he had to say, which was why she let herself be led out of the club and into the quiet alley.  She did pull her hand out of his grasp when they got there though with more force than was technically necessary, folding her arms over her chest.

“I have nothing to say,” she stated in what she hoped was a strong voice. She wished he had dragged her off to talk somewhere that had chairs. Instead, they were in an alley that smelled faintly of piss and was lit by the streetlight outside of it, and a light above the door from the club.

Mike paced in front of her. His hand ran up from his neck, over his head, his eyes, and down to cover his mouth, tug at his beard.Ginny would have found it amusing, endearing even, if she wasn’t in a mood. 

“Clearly you don’t either,” she said when he wouldn’t stop pacing. “So why did you drag me out here again?” When he didn’t answer, she rolled her eyes. “This is a waste of my time.”

Mike sighed, spat on the ground and then looked at her. He took in her annoyed expression, the hands over her chest, the way she looked like she was about to take off again any moment. “Aw hell, clearly you know,” he growled.

“Know what?” Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well—you know….” he gestured uselessly with his hands, clearly reluctant to go on.

“No, really, tell me Lawson, what is it that I know?” Ginny asked with a toss of her head. She didn't want to play this game, try to draw the truth and the confession out of him. He was acting like a boy who had done something wrong. Maybe Ginny wouldn’t be as pissed if he would just man up and own up.

“Is it that you and Amelia have been sleeping together? Or is it that you and Amelia have been lying about it to me? Do I know that you were sexting her while sitting next to me on the freaking team bus? Or is it perhaps that I know now—sorry, that I’m reminded—that I can’t trust a goddamn person in this world except for myself? That you can’t expect the truth from people, that you really can’t expect anything from people because you will always—always, be disappointed?” Ginny stopped then with a sob, shocked to realize how much she had just said, how much she had just revealed.  Her heart was beating fast and her eyes were wet with tears. She hadn’t even realized she was crying.  Horrified, she looked at Mike, and saw a mirrored expression on his face. He looked just as shocked as she did.

“Damn, Rookie, that’s a lot to lay on me.” His eyes were wide in his face and he tugged at the collar of his signature leather jacket. 

Ginny blanched. “I think I’m going to be sick.”


	6. Chapter 6

How could she have been so fucking stupid? She had just spilled her guts both figuratively and literally in front of Mike freaking Lawson.Ginny currently wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.Of course he didn’t want to hear about her trust issues. What did he care about the fact that she hardly had any real friends? She had been stupid to think that the two of _them_ were friends. She was just the rookie on the team, and he was being the good team captain, helping her get settled and comfortable.He was Mike Lawson, the guy who played it fast and loose, who liked nothing better than to talk about himself, and who would rather joke around than have a serious conversation about anything. Of course, Ginny was the same on that last bit, but that was beside the point.Because she had turned serious, grimly so, and just fucking blown it with her childhood hero. 

Bent double, one hand braced on the brick wall of the alley, Ginny tried not to think about the fact that someone might have peed in the exact spot of her hand at some point. She was sure she was not the first one to puke in this alley, though.At least she had managed to lean far enough away that she hoped she hadn’t got any chunder on her shoes or dress. Her other hand held her hair up from her sweaty face, though really, she felt hot and flushed all over. She was trying not to think about where Mike Lawson was or had gone, nor about the fact that she had just had word vomit before actually vomiting in front of him. 

Ginny groaned, feeling miserable and embarrassed, just as a cool hand slid across her forehead.  She jumped, but a hand on her back steadied her.

“Easy there, Rookie,” Lawson said soothingly.He took over the chore of holding her hair back, and was even considerate enough to lift it off her sweaty neck too. 

“Fuck, Lawson,” Ginny whimpered, wondering if this could really get any worse. And then the door to the club opened. Ginny turned her head just enough to be able to see that it was Amelia. “Fuck,” she swore again. 

“Ginny! Are you okay? Lawson, what the fuck happened?” Amelia asked worriedly, hurrying out to join them in the alley. 

“Partied a little too hard in there after working a little too hard earlier,” Mike replied, managing to sound completely at ease while still holding Ginny’s hair back.She wanted to lean her forehead against the wall, but was too grossed out to actually do it. She knew she should straighten up, get her shit together, and face Amelia, but she was just so damn tired.Mike rubbing those soothing circles on her lower back wasn’t helping either.He was silently telling her to stay as she was if that’s what she wanted. Let him handle this. 

“I should get the car. Gin, do you need anything?” 

“Just go away,” Ginny rasped, eyes staring down at the ground. She realized she was staring at her puke and grimaced, focusing her eyes farther forward, on the less disgusting sight of a Pringles tube lying in the alley. 

Amelia lowered the phone from her ear. “What?” 

“She just needs some recovery time, Amelia, that’s all,” Mike said hurriedly. 

“Yeah, and she’ll be able to get it better in her own bed rather than here in a filthy alley, Lawson,” Amelia snapped.  Clearly she thought he was interfering where he had no right to.

Mike looked from Ginny to Amelia. Ginny could feel the tension in his body transferring down to his arms, though he managed to keep his hands gentle on her, fingers tangled in her curls, and steady at her back. “I think you should let me handle this one,” he said through gritted teeth.

Amelia tossed her head angrily. She did not like being told what to do, especially when it came to doing what was best for Ginny. What she thought was best anyway. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” she demanded. 

Ginny closed her eyes. “It means that I do not want to deal with the two of you right now, but since Lawson is the one holding my hair, you’re the one who should probably go,” she growled. Never mind the fact that she just felt more comfortable around Mike. She knew Amelia had her best interests at heart—usually—but Amelia also had Amelia’s best interests at heart. And it was easier somehow for Ginny to rail at Mike than Amelia. 

“Ginny,” Amelia’s voice was concerned, confused. Ginny could hear the clack of Amelia’s heels on the ground as she moved closer. “Ginny I think we should get you back to the hotel. You seem out of sorts and—”

Ginny stood up quickly, dislodging Mike’s hands and winced, regretting it, as her vision faded in and out for a moment before returning in full clarity. “Amelia just drop it. I’m tired of all this two faced bull shit. I _am_ ‘out of sorts’ and I’m not in the mood to deal with two people who feel the need to hide things from me at every turn, including their relationship. So please, just call the damn car, get in it, and go the fuck home.” She turned away so she wouldn’t have to see the shocked  ~~hurt?~~ expression on Amelia’s face, or the disappointed look she was sure was on Lawson’s. She was sick of trying to live up to everyone’s expectations and failing.

She could hear Amelia and Mike muttering to each other and ground her teeth at the intimate sound. She knew they were talking about her, which made it even worse. But she refused to turn around. She was not going to apologize.She was not going to sweep this under the rug in the hopes that it would all go away.Ginny ran a hand through her hair, tugging on the ends of a curl roughly. She stopped fidgeting when she heard the door open and close again. She was afraid to turn around and see who was still there…if anyone even was.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iiii don't know what this is or where it's going. BUT HERE IT IS ANYWAY.

“It’s safe now, Rookie.” 

The voice from behind her had Ginny exhaling in relief, the suspense ended.Even if the tone was more sarcastic than soothing, it was the voice Ginny had wanted to hear. Though that thought didn't make it any better. Mike Lawson's voice was not the one she was supposed to want to be hearing. Turning around, Ginny kept her arms crossed over her chest, a defensive gesture as she tried to hold herself together.

“Feel better now that you got that off your chest?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at her. She couldn’t tell from his face whether he was disappointed in her, or mad at her, or what.

“No,” Ginny responded sullenly, looking down at the ground.  Ginny took no pleasure in yelling at anyone, or getting into fights. She was not confrontational. For the most famous woman in the world, she preferred to keep a low profile. 

“Feel like yelling some more?” he leaned against the wall, crossing his own arms, mirroring her own posture.

Ginny threw him a look.  “I haven’t decided yet,” she responded caustically.  In reality though, with the adrenaline fading from her body, Ginny was just beginning to feel tired. And her feet hurt.  She could live in her runners, but put her in heels for a few hours and she was ready to kill someone. Or maybe that was just because if the mood she was in, and what she had found out.

Lawson could wait for a bit but he was not willing to wait forever. And with Baker, he knew that he could be, with the amount she liked to talk about herself—aka not at all.  With a growl low in his throat he pushed himself off the wall and walked closer to her. “Look, Baker, just say whatever it is you want to say and get it over with.” He steeled himself as if waiting for a blow out.

“I-I…” Ginny opened her mouth, but she really couldn’t think of anything to say.  It was more a feeling of general un-wellness. She couldn’t blame the bad taste in her mouth entirely on Mike and Amelia—throwing up hadn’t helped.  “I just don’t like being lied to, Lawson,” she finally said, firmly, her hands gesturing uselessly, conveying her own inner confusion.

“Aw Baker,” Lawson groaned, running his fingers through his hair.  “No one was lying to you.” 

Ginny gave him a look that clearly conveyed her disbelief.“Lies of omission still count as lying,” she informed him.And what people didn’t tell her seemed like it went on forever.Did people really think they were protecting her by keeping her so out of the loop she was dizzy when she was finally thrust into it?She was young, sure, but she didn’t need to be handled with kid gloves.

“Look, Lawson, I’m fine. Just-just go,” Ginny waved her hands at him, shaking her head.  She didn’t want to fight anymore, she didn’t want to have to explain her feelings or even try to understand them herself. And she didn't want to hear any more excuses.

“Ginny—” Mike moved toward her and then stopped, thrown by the look she gave him, both of them startled that he used her first name.

“I said, I’m fine.” She gritted her teeth, wanting him to just leave her alone. He was always pushing her, always demanding more from her. But it was not in the same way others did it. That was part of what threw her off, part of what had her confused. Because Mike pushed her towards being more honest and open—with others, but also with herself. He pulled the truth from her, even if she was unwilling to give it. It put her off balance, and made her uncomfortable to see how well he knew and could get through to her.

When he still stood there, just looking at her, she sighed in exasperation. Leaning a hand against the wall, the brick pushing against her palm, she raised her foot, grasped her shoe. She stumbled a bit, still tipsy, before finding her balance.

“What the hell are you doing now, Baker?” Mike groaned.

“My feet are killing me and clearly you’re not planning on letting me go back inside any time soon.” She tossed her hair out of her face, curls bouncing as she gave him a look. “Besides, I’m tipsy enough to not want to fall off my shoes.”

The alley was gross though. It made Mike shudder just to think of what she might step in out there. With hardly a thought—definitely not a thought for his aching back and ruined knees which would be sure to make him think about them lots later—he moved to pick her up. He could tell from the way she stiffened that he had caught her by surprise. Hell he caught himself by surprise too. And yet he didn’t regret the move. Ginny was solid in his arms, but wasn’t difficult for him to carry her. Probably due to the increased strength training he had been doing—he could thank her for the increased religiosity to his workout regimen. She could probably carry him too if it came down to it.

She put up less of a fight than either of them were expecting. Ginny put it down to her being so tired, and feeling like crap. Her feet were sore, her legs were shaking, and the previously pleasant tipsy feeling was starting to make her a little dizzy.  So she allowed it, whatever the hell _it_ was that Lawson was doing..

“I didn’t know you were such a gentleman, Lawson.” One arm slid around his neck, pulling herself closer to him despite the sarcastic tone.

“Can it, Baker.”


	8. Chapter 8

Mike realized again that he had not thought things through after practically pouring Baker into his passenger seat.She dropped her shoes on the floor and immediately pulled her legs up beneath her. Her head tilted back on the seat.

He stood there for a moment, just watching her—and, he was ashamed to admit, breathing a little heavier than normal from carrying her.  He leaned one hand against the car as Ginny got comfortable. She was getting to the sleepy stage of being drunk, but she was not totally out of it yet, as evidenced by the sharp look she turned on him.

“You checking me out, Lawson?” she teased. Clearly some of her anger at him had been dulled by his chivalrous action.

“You wish, Baker,” Mike snorted. “Watch your damn feet,” he warned before closing the car door.  He had to take a breath, shake his head as he walked around the back to his side.  He groaned as he seated himself and made a mental note to get a higher car from the dealership, that didn’t make his knees pop to get into.

Ginny rolled her head to face him, all big eyes and currently mussed hair.  “So where are you taking me, Old Man?”

“Back to your hotel room,” he replied firmly. No more partying for her tonight.

Ginny nodded, turning forwards again. Shifting in her seat, Mike heard her dress rustle as she pulled her knees up and locked her arms around them. She rested her chin on her legs. “Probably want to get rid of me as fast as possible, huh?”

Mike cast a quick glance over at her, took in the change in her momentarily playful mood. “It’s late Baker, and you’re drunk. Plus you overdid it today. You should be aching for sleep.”

She shrugged. “Yeah I guess.” She still looked like a sad little puppy sitting in the chair next to him. It was like he was taking her to the vet or something.

It was stupid, but he didn’t like seeing her with the hint of sadness and a forlorn attitude clinging to her. Even if she had yelled at him and Amelia earlier, in his mind, she had been entitled. He hadn’t liked it, but he had understood when Ginny had talked about feeling lied to and like they were treating her like a child.  “You hungry?” he asked, though it was always a safe bet to assume she was.

“Yeah,” she nodded again. But it was still a little listless which caused Mike to glance over at her again. Usually Baker perked right up at the mention of food. She had a slightly glazed look over her eyes though, and he wasn’t sure if it was from exhaustion or alcohol, but probably both. “I haven’t eaten since—” Ginny squinted for a moment to read the clock on the dash before her eyes widened in surprise, “I haven’t eaten in like nine hours!”

“Jesus Baker, no wonder you’re cranky,” Mike whistled. Nine hours for Ginny Baker without eating was practically an eternity. He felt slightly guilty, suspecting that part of her distraction and lack of self care during the day was his fault. Even though he had nothing to be guilty about for sleeping with Amelia, and even though they had ended it over a month ago, Ginny still had the power to make him squirm in that regard.

He pulled over when he saw a diner with a 24 hour flashing sign. He hoped it would be late enough that no one would recognize Ginny Baker in her pretty party dress, or the fact that she was drunk.

Her face glowed in the light streaming out the diner windows as she turned to face him with a smile. 

“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” he asked.

Her smile dimmed for a moment, worrying him again, before she shook it off. “It helps,” she replied archly before getting out of the car.

Mike shook his head, a fond smile of his own on his face until his eyes landed on what she had left on the floor. “Baker! Baker, put on your fucking shoes!”


End file.
